Criminal Justice News

Wednesday, January 08, 2014

A Horrific Crime Starts The New Year

Two Fugitives Captured and Charged With 1st Degree Murder

Corpus Christi, TX – Austin Myles Byrom, 19, and Skyler
Katherine Burghart, 18, were arrested late last week by members of the United
States Marshals Service Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Fugitive Task Force
(GCVOFTF) in Corpus Christi, TX. An arrest warrant was issued pursuant to an
investigation by the Comal County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO), where it is alleged
that Byrom and Burghart committed 1st degree murder.

On January 2, 2014, members of the Lone Star Fugitive Task
Force (LSFTF) initiated an investigation in the search for Byrom and Burghart
in Canyon Lake, TX. Subsequent to the investigation, task force officers
discovered that Byrom and Burghart had previously fled from Canyon Lake, TX to
Corpus Christi, TX. Members of the LSFTF then contacted members of the GCVOFTF
in Corpus Christi, TX for assistance in locating and apprehending Byrom and
Burghart. On January 3, 2014, task force officers, through investigative
efforts, received information that Byrom and Burghart were hiding out in a
Motel 6 in Corpus Christi, TX. Task force officers, along with the assistance
of the Corpus Christi Police Department (CCPD), drove to the Motel 6 and
observed Byrom, Burghart, and 3 other subjects driving away in a pick-up truck.
The pick-up truck was stopped and all the occupants attempted to elude officers
on foot. After a brief foot chase, Burghart and the 3 other subjects were
apprehended. Byrom initially eluded capture, but was later apprehended in a
nearby neighborhood.

On January 1, 2014, Byrom and Burghart were allegedly
involved in violently and brutally stabbing a man to death and robbing him of
his money, vehicle, and gun safe containing multiple weapons in Canyon Lake,
TX. A District Court Judge of Comal County issued arrest warrants for Byrom and
Burghart soon after. Subsequent to arrest, the victim’s vehicle was recovered
and a .9mm handgun was found inside.

Byrom and Burghart are currently being held in custody at
the Comal County Jail awaiting their court proceedings.

Robert R. Almonte, United States Marshal for the Western
District of Texas, stated, “These two fugitives needed to be captured right
away and that’s exactly what our task force officers did. They didn’t allow
another day to go by without putting these two violent offenders behind bars.
This is definitely not a way to start the New Year and my prayers go out to the
victim’s family who suffered a great loss.

Members of the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force:

New Braunfels
Police Department

San Antonio Police
Department

San Antonio
Independent School District Police Department

Bexar County
Sheriff’s Office

Comal County
Sheriff’s Office

Bexar County Fire
Marshal’s Office

Bexar County
District Attorney’s Office

Texas Office of
The Attorney General

Texas Department
of Public Safety

Texas Department
of Criminal Justice – Office of the Inspector General